Sigmundarakr
Sigmundarakr; otherwise known as the city of Sigmund, is the Capital City of the Kingdom of Halmar, a Human-dominated Kingdom found in the Northern Tundra. History Nearly 6,000 years ago, the Empire of Kalal, was at the height of it's prosperity, the City of Progress had advanced rapidly. The tribal humans had come together and formed a group of likeminded, intelligent individuals who were dedicated to the advancement of their species and their people. By all accounts, the Empire of Kalal was the first human nation to ever rise, even surpassing that of the Nation of Kivath, even if it lasted only a short while. Unfortunately, Kalal was not meant to last, as the tribal Northern Orcs 'began to conduct raids against the Empire of Kalal, and due to their nature as scientists and scholars, they were not prepared. When the Orcs saw weakness, they gathered a great host, a warband, and invaded the technologically advanced Empire. In just 17 days and nights, the Empire of Kalal fell. The end result was that many of the Northern Humans of Kalal were killed, enslaved or escaped only to die in the deadly wilderness of the Northern Tundra. But a few survived. They had no ability to sail out of the frozen seas around them, so they fled to the parts of their continent where even Northern Orcs dare not dwell. This harsh land was colonized quickly, the unique and intelligent people of Kalal conquering the wilderness for their own little area. But it wasn't enough, of course; they had to grow strong, hardy. Over many years, the natural intelligence of the Northern Humans gave way to an instinctual savagery that was vital to their continued survival. They hunted great beasts of the north, they fought against orc raiding parties from the East, and they built up their Kingdom - the '''Kingdom of Halmar '- was formed. Their capital city was the great Fortress-City of Sigmundarakr, and their people became Sigmunders. Although the citizens of the Kingdom of Halmar became collectively known as Halmarians, Sigmunders were the best of the best, the strongest, and the most respected. Sigmundarakr was ruled by a strict hierarchy of Warrior Kings and Chieftains. The strongest Clan became the rulers of Sigmundarakr, but they could only become Rulers if they fought and claimed the head of one of the powerful dragons of the Frozen north, where the world was at it's coldest. Many Chieftains did not return, but the few that did became worthy of the title 'King of the North', and these warriors were well-respected among their kinsmen. The Kingdom of Halmar has been embroiled in a bitter war with the Northern Orcs for many, many years, although it rarely evolves from border skirmishes to full fledged battles, they are unlikely to ever make peace with one another. Only recently has the Kingdom of Halmar broken their own isolation and began trading with the other parts of the world. Geography Sigmundarakr is a very large city, surrounded by incredibly high and thick stone walls, and surrounded even more by deadly ice, forests and beasts. Laying siege to Sigmundarakr would be nearly impossible as the land that surrounds it is nearly as deadly as the individuals within. The city itself is laid out in a chaotic, yet recognizable manner, with different districts dedicated to different things; Market, War, Housing, Governmental and Mystic. Inhabitants The people of Sigmundarakr are incredibly hardy, confident and boisterous, these unique and jovial humans are fond of drinking ale, fighting for fun, and hunting. In Halmarian society, women are often relegated to more feminine duties, but if they prove themselves stronger than a man, they can take the exact same roles and purpose in the Kingdom, ranging from a Chieftain's duties, to a warrior, to even marriage. Sigmundarakr is also probably the most 'pure' human city to date, with the extreme majority of their population being humans, with some Half-Orcs, often produced from orcs raping Northern humans, and the occasional slave that escapes from Warforge, such as dwarves, halflings and elves. Perhaps just as hardy and powerful, are the Dwarves of Sigmundarakr. Often escaped slaves or the rare dwarven adventurer who discovered the land and settled down, these individuals are well-known Blacksmiths more-often-than not and tend to be kept in incredibly high regard for their craftsmanship. Religion, Magic & Technology Religion Freedom is paramount to the people of Sigmund, and thus, worship of all deities is allowed, so long as they do not threaten the entirety of the people of Sigmundarakr, such as beings like Urgathoa. Oddly enough, however, the city of Sigmundarakr has many different deities from the normal humans of the world; they worship the '''Asgardian Pantheon, and have temples to Odin, Aegir, Balder, Forseti, Frey, Freya, Frigga, Heimdall, Hel, Hermond, Njord, Odur, Sif, Skadi, Surtur, Thor, Tyr and Uller. These deities serve as their patrons, and represent many different aspects of their society. Magic Arcane magic is typically held in a low regard as cowardly by most Sigmunders, but they nonetheless do have a mystic district dedicated to the magical arts of both arcane and divine. Technology Technology like Warforge is nearly non-existent, but Sigmundarakr is the birthplace of the Kingdom of Halmar, and their steel is unlike any other. Their weaponry is almost always of Masterwork quality, but the true potential of their unique brand of steel comes into form whenever it is shaped by a Master Blacksmith, and Sigmundarakr has many of those. Law & Crime People & Places of Interest Category:Cities